Acute stress reactions in children and adolescents in emergency situations
Kekelidze, Z.I.; Portnova, A.A.; Shport, S.V.; Savvina, T.N.; Pevtsov, G.V.; Serebrovskaia, O.V.
Zhurnal Nevrologii i Psikhiatrii Imeni S.S. Korsakova 104(5): 20-23
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 1997-7298 PMID: 15272627 Document Number: 583266
Psychological and psychiatric examination, along with medico-psychological assistance, have been conducted for 48 children and adolescents, aged 9-18 years, who have been saved during the fire. An examination was carried out on day 2-7 after the disaster. A diagnosis of acute stress reaction (ASR) was made using DSM-IV-TR criteria with definition of 4 groups of symptoms: recurrent trauma surviving, avoidant symptoms, elevated excitability and dissociated symptoms. Besides the clinical examination, the questionnaires adapted for the study and drawing techniques have been used. Symptoms of recurrent trauma surviving occurred most often (79,2%). Avoidant symptoms were detected in 75% of the cases, elevated excitability - in 64,4%, dissociated symptoms - in 62,5%. Symptoms of all the groups were found in 43,8% of the cases that suggested the presence of pronounced distress. No statistically significant correlation between symptom severity and subject's age and sex was revealed. The presence of siblings and friends among those been lost, affected the severity of ASR expression, in particular, avoidant symptoms and dissociation, recurrent trauma surviving symptoms being less influenced. Symptoms of excitability in ARS were shown to be more specific for the boys.